After the images were widely shared on social media, the religious affairs ministry suspended Qavi’s membership of the Ruet-eHilal Committee, a key panel of clerics.
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On the other hand, Mufti Qavi told a private news channel that Qandeel Baloch was “like a daughter to him”, and that he was trying to bring her to “the right path”.
Talking to Pakistan Today on the telephone, Qandeel Baloch claimed that Mufti Qavi “is hopelessly in love with her” and that he had invited her to his room in Hotel Regent Plaza in Karachi for Iftaari.
The parliamentary panel was flabbergasted when told that there was no hard and fast rule to appoint members of the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee.
The ministry has also issued a notification regarding Mufti Qawi’s suspension.
A Muslim cleric was suspended by the Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Yousaf on Wednesday after pictures of him with social media sensation Qandeel Baloch went viral, reports Dawn.
The “selfie issue” has been referred to Ulema and Mashaikh Council for further probe, it added. Ever since Qavi’s pictures with Baloch surfaced, social media was rife with speculation about his association with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) ulema wing.
Mufti Qavi is also mohtamim of the Darul Uloom Qadirabad seminary in Multan.
Of the video and selfies, Mufti Qavi said Qandeel had requested for a meeting with him.
The action against Mufti Qavi came a day after JUI-F Senator Hafiz Hamdullah took a jibe at Mufti Qavi during a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Religious Affairs over the video.
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“She wanted to have a meeting in order to get rid of a magic spell”, he said.
